Online commentary.
3/27/2017
1 Comment
The Spirit Bears Witness with Our Spirit
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: (Rom 8:16)
This is worth thinking about. Either it is true or it is not. The verse does not claim that the witness is in the form of words, but meaningful communication, nevertheless. It is a convincing witness, bypassing normal word language. Your spirit will know that the Holy Spirit is there pressing against your own spirit and tilting your opinion in His direction about the important subject of your being a child of God. He is a master of communication.
Every thought we have is not from God. We are instructed: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:14)
Our subject is not broad but limited to the Holy Spirit bearing with our Spirit that we are the children of God. Most often, (but not always) the Spirit will use a verse of Scripture or a phrase in a verse of Scripture. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. You may have read a verse many times and it was not special to you and then suddenly the verse comes alive. We call that “the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit.” He will never lead you contrary to the Word of God but always in-step with the Scriptures.
The communication of the Holy Spirit with the human spirit is one of the great mysteries and I will not attempt to put that mystery into “easy to understand” words. It cannot be done. How much explanation does one need to perceive the noon day sun is overhead? We don’t see word descriptions of the noon day sun in dictionaries or encyclopedias. It is one of those “self-evident” truths that is referred to in the American Declaration of Independence. The presence of the Holy Spirit is also a self-evident presence that is His own announcement and His own description of what He is there to communicate.
The Holy Spirit communication with us begins as the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and draws us toward God. Jesus said: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (Joh 6:44) Many Bible scholars agree that the Father draws by the agency of the Holy Spirit who works with the Father in creating and in convicting of sin. And when he (the Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (Joh 16:8)
We read: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Rom 8:14) God’s Spirit will tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it. This is the broad, lifelong leading of the Holy Spirit.
But, the first essential place we need to be led, is in knowing we are saved. We call it “assurance.” Sometimes the Holy Spirit will draw out a person even for months, withholding the assurance until certain things are accomplished in that person’s soul. And then, without effort on the part of the waiting enquirer, the assurance comes as easy as a baseball player sliding into first base. In the end, only the Spirit of God can give you the assurance that you are a child of God. No human being can do that. |
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: (Rom 8:16)
8:16 "The Spirit, Himself" The Greek word for Spirit is neuter, therefore, KJV translated this as "the Spirit, itself," but the Spirit is a person; He can be grieved (cf. Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19), so "Himself" is a better translation.
"testifies with our spirits that we are children of God" As noted in Rom. 8:13, one aspect of faith assurance is the believers' changed and changing lives (cf. the NT books of James and 1 John). Another aspect of assurance is that the indwelling Spirit has replaced the fear of God with family love (cf. 1 John 4:17-18). Note the RSV and NRSV translations and punctuation, "when we cry, Abba! Father! It is the Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirits that we are children of God" (cf. Gal. 4:6). This implies that the assurance comes when believers can call God, Father, by the Spirit.
The internal witness of the Spirit is not audible, but practical.
1. guilt over sin
2. desire to be like Christ
3. desire to be with the family of God
4. hunger for God's word
5. sense a need to do evangelism
6. sense a need for Christian sacrificial giving
These are the kinds of internal desires that provide a faith evidence of conversion.
Assurance of salvation has been turned into a denominational issue.
1. Roman Catholic theology denies the possibility of assurance in this life but bases confidence in one being a member of the "true" church
2. John Calvin (Reform tradition) based assurance on election (predestination), but one could not know for sure until after this life on Judgment Day
3. John Wesley (Methodist tradition) based assurance on a perfect love (living above known sin)
4. most Baptists have tended to base assurance on the biblical promises of free grace (but ignoring all the warnings and admonitions).
There are two dangers related to the NT paradoxical presentation of Christian assurance.
1. the overemphasis on "once saved, always saved"
2. the overemphasis on human performance in retaining salvation.
Hebrews 6 clearly teaches "once out, always out." Human effort (good works) does not keep believers saved (cf. Gal. 3:1-14). But good works are the goal of the Christian life (cf. Eph. 2:10). They are the natural result of meeting God and having the indwelling Spirit. They are evidence of one's true conversion.
Assurance is not meant to soften the Bible's call to holiness! Theologically speaking, assurance is based on the character and actions of the Triune God.
1. the Father's love and mercy
2. the Son's finished sacrificial work
3. the Spirit's wooing to Christ and then forming Christ in the repentant believer
The evidence of this salvation is a changed worldview, a changed heart, a changed lifestyle and a changed hope! It cannot be based on a past emotional decision that has no lifestyle evidence (i.e., fruit, cf. Matt. 7:15-23; 13:20-22; John 15). Assurance, like salvation, like the Christian life starts with a response to God's mercy and continues that response throughout life. It is a changed and changing life of faith!
"testifies" This is another syn compound. The Spirit co-witnesses with the believer's spirit. Paul uses this compound term in Rom. 2:15; 8:16 and 9:1.
8:17 "if" There is a series conditional sentences in Rom. 8:9,10,11,13 (twice), and 17 (twice). These are all first class conditional sentences which are assumed true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. Paul assumed his readers in the Roman church were Christian.
In this verse there are three compound words using syn, which means "joint participation with"
1. believers share heirship with Christ
2. believers share sufferings with Christ
3. believers will share glory with Christ
There are more syn compounds in Rom. 8:22 (twice), 26,28. Eph. 2:5-6 also has three syn compounds which describe the believer's life in Christ.
"heirs" This is another family metaphor to describing believers (cf. Rom. 4:13-14; 9:8; Gal. 3:29).
Utley
God wakes her up daily, and Jesus told her to dye her hair pink. She says Santa lives in Heaven, and there is plenty of candy up there, too. She goes to heaven all the time.
